Kiev Intends to Leave Joint Russia-Ukraine-NATO Program on An-124 Use

Sputnik News

15:19 07.09.2016(updated 15:29 07.09.2016)

Kiev intends to leave the Ukraine-Russia-NATO SALIS program on the use of An-124 transport planes, the CEO of the Ukrainian aircraft maker said Wednesday.

KIEV (Sputnik) – Kiev intends to leave the trilateral Ukraine-Russia-NATO Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) program on the use of An-124 transport planes in the Alliance's interests, the CEO of the Ukrainian aircraft maker Antonov Airlines, Oleksandr Gritsenko, said Wednesday.

"We will participate [in the program] with the Russian company until December 31, and beginning January 1 we will carry out work to operate independently," Gritsenko told journalists.

The SALIS program started in 2006, and involves Ukraine's Antonov Airlines and Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the world's largest operators of Antonov An-124 planes.

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